Headlight control for automobiles.



o. 823,163. PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

` J. s. DETRIOK'.' HEADLIGHT CONTROL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT.9. 1905. v

g likeand has for'its for moving the lamp to project its light in a' UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE;

JAoOB s. DETBIOK, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. HEADLIGHT CONTROL Fon AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Jua@ 12, 190e.

- Application filed separater 9,1905. semina 277.652.

To all whom it may concern: lBe it known that I, JACOB S. DETRICK, a citizen of the United States, residing in Baltimore, in the State of ed certain new and useful Im rovements in Headlight Control for Automo iles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to controlling means for directing searchlights or other lamps on'a moving body-such as a vehicle, boat, or the object to provide means plurality of directions by a member separate from the lamp, therewith.

The invention broadly comprises a controlling-lever operated, preferably, by the foot to move in two dierent paths and thereby swing the light to project its rays in horizontal directions and to also project its rays at: different altitudes in the several horizontal directions to which moved.

In .the drawings 'illustrating an embodiment of 'my invention, Figure 1 represents the device applied at the front of a motor-car or similar vehicle, the device being shown in side elevation and a portion of the-car in section. Fig. 2 showsl the device in plan. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the upright member and lamp. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 show in front and side elevation the yjoint of the connecting-rod with the foot-lever, and Figs. 7 and S show in front and side elevation, respectively, the joint between the connectingrod and an arm secured to the lamp.

. The searehlight or lamp 12 is pivotallysupported on the upper end of an upright meinber 13, which is supported to rotate on a vertical aXis from a portion of the vehicle, preferably the dashboard 14, by rotating in a socket member 15, fast to the top of the dashboard, and also supported in a socket meinber 16, secured in the Hoor 17 ofthe car. The lamp is shown as having a .trunnion-support on the top of the upri ht 13 by securing on the latter a fork inem er 18. Pins 19 projecting horizontally from opposite sides of the lamp rest in apertures in the fork members, thereby supporting the lamp to swing on a horizontal axis on the upright 13. The upright is thus supported to swing on avvertical axis, wh'ereby'its rotation will cause the lamp to project its rays in any desired direction horizontally, and the lamp can be swung on its trunnion-support so that its rays may but operatively connected Maryland, have inventbe adjusted to in any of the be adjusted.

A single member or controlling lever is provided movable in two different paths and so connected with the lamp and post supporting the lamp that movement of the lever in one of said paths will swing the lamp on a vertical axis, while movement of the lever in its other path will swing nion-support on a horizontal axis. present instance this controlling-lever is placed near the floor of the car 17 in convenient position to be controlled by the'foot of the operator. The lever 20 -is preferably pivotally mounted on the top of a short spindle 21, that is rotatable in av socket member 22, set into-the floor 17, with the bore of the socket arranged vertically. A suitable connection is arranged between thespindle 21 the lamp on its trunf,

In the project upward Or downward and the post 13,*whose axes are substantially parallel, whereby the rocking of the spindle by the foot-lever 20 will oscillate the upright 13 and cause vthe lamp to be adjusted to either side, as desired'. This connection may comprise a chainA 23, passing around a sprocket 24'on the upright 13 and a sprocket 25 on the spindle 21. A suitable connection is also provided whereby the swinging of the foot-lever 20 will rock the lamp on its trunnien-support` on the upright. This connection is shown as formed of a connecting-rod 26, that is joined tothe front end of the footlever by auniversal joint and is similarlycoin nected with an arm 27, secured to the lamp and extending rearward therefrom. This connection with vthe foot-lever is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 as formed by having a forkpiece 2S, fast on the lower end of the rod 26, between which forks is pivoted a block 2.) by a pin 3() passing through a bore in the block .and into the fork-arms. The block has another bore at right angles to said bore, through which passes a screw 31, tapped into the front end of the foot-lever 20, the block '29 being arranged to swing on said screw.

At the upper end of the rod 26 is secured a fork-piece 32, between whose arms is pivoted a piece 33. At the rear of the lamp extends -an arm 27, to which is suitabl secured a clamp 34, and between the end portions of the clamp is pivoted the piece 33 to swing on an axis at right angles joint between the piece 33 and the fork-piece 32. This universal joint at each end of the connecting-rod with the lamp and the footwith the axis ofy the' IOC ieg

such position when released.

is providedv with means lever is employed because oiI the change in the. relative positions of the lamp and vlootlever caused by the swinging of both menibers on a vertical axis.

The lamp may be provided with means for normally retaining it straight forward.` In Figfl a spring 35 is extending between an arm 36, secured on the lower end of the upright 13 and projecting rearward, and the bottom of the iioor 17, which spring will be disteiided when the upright is rocked to either side and return the arm and post to The lamp 12 for keepingit level, a siring 37 extending between the middle ci' tlie fork 18 and the parl' of the lamp verti cally above such part when the lamp is level, as shown in Fig. 3.

By the above construction it will be seen that the lamp may be readily controlled by slight movements of' the foot-lever, the side motion or twisting of the lever by the foot serving to direct the rays of the lamp either straightforward or toward either side, as desired, and when so direct-ed a slight rocking .of the foot-lever will servi` to direct the rays tov the roadway either immediately in front of the car or at any distance beyond the saine or else to various heights as desired. The springs will serve to return the lamp tc normal position directed straight ahead upon the controlling-lever being released.

1. The combination, in a vehicle, of a rocking upright member, a lamp supported by said rocking member for horizontal movenient, a rocking pivotal member located in parallelism with said Iirst rocking member, means connecting the two rocking members, a foot-lever ivoted to said rocking pivotal member for orizontal movement, a connection between said foot-lever and said lamp and comprising a rod having a universal connection with said foot-lever and with said lamp, the organization being such that on the movement of the foot-lever iii a vertical plane the lamp will likewise be swung in a similar plane and on the operation of the footlever in a horizontal plane in either direction both ol' said rocking members will be rocked simultaneously and the lamp swung in a horizontal plane.

2. The combination, in a car, of an upright member arranged to swing on a vertical axis, a supporting member in the floor of the car mounted to swing on a vertical axis, a Jioot-lever pivoted on the supporting member to swing on a horizontal axis transverse to the car, a connection between the supporting member and the upright member causing the rocking of the supporting member by the loot-lever to rock the upright member, a lamp carried by the upright member to swing on a substantially horizontal axis, and a rod having a universally-movable connection with said lever and also having anniversally-movable connection with a portion of the lamp -and arranged to cause the rocking of the foot-lever on its support in the several ositions of the upright member to swing the amp on its horizontal axis in the several positions of the lamp to which moved by the u pright member.

3. The combination in a car, of a post supported adjacent the front of the car to swing on a vertical axis, a lamp sup orted by the post to swing on a substanti: ly horizontal axis, a spindle mounted in the floor of the car to swing on a substantially vertical axis,

a gear fast on said spindle, a gear fast on said post, a cham engaging said gears, whereby the Swingin(T of the spindle on its vertical axis by the lever willswing the lamp on its vertical axis, a foot-lever pivoted on said spindle to swing on a substantially horizontal axis, a rod having a universally-inovable connection with said lever, and also having a universallymovable connection with said lamp, whereby the swinging of the lever on the spindle will swing the lamp on its horizontal axis. A

` .nicos s. DETRi'cK. Witnesses PEARL WERKING, JAS. J. MCGRATH. 

